Integrated circuit connector assembly



Feb. 10, 1970 R. J. MELCHER 3,495,131

INTEGRATED CIRCUIT CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY Filed July 16, 1968 34INVENTOR. O9 .Roasnr a? MELCHEE O 0 BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,495,131INTEGRATED CIRCUIT CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY Robert J. Melcher, Edina, Minn.,assignor to National Connector Corporation, Minneapolis, Minn., acorporation of Minnesota Filed July 16, 1968, Ser. No. 745,193 Int. Cl.H02b 1/00 US. Cl. 317-100 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This inventionrelates generally to electrical connector assemblies, and moreparticularly relates to an assembly for connecting an integrated circuitmember to a terminal board, which includes a heat sink member designedto dissipate the heat generated by the integrated circuit member.

Description of the prior art In recent years, integrated circuits havebeen developed to the point where they are highly reliable. They havebeen successfully commercialized so that at the present time, manymanufacturers of electronic equipment are using integrated circuitsrather than discrete components. Typically, an integrated circuit ispotted in a block of non-conductive material from which extend aplurality of metal conductor pins. An intermediate connector assembly isnormally used to mount the integrated circuit member to a terminal boardor chassis. The interconnection of the integrated circuit member withthe other components of the system takes place at the terminal board.

Since an integrated circuit may contain many electrical components,including various semi-conductor devices, considerable heat is generatedduring operation of the circuit. This heat must be dissipated if theintegrated circuit is to operate properly. Excessive heat can causephysical damage to the components of the integrated circuit and it canadversely affect the operating characteristics of the semi-conductordevices in the circuit. The system may thus fail completely or mayoperate in an erratic manner if the heat is not dissipated.

To avoid these problems, it is necessary to insure that the heatgenerated by the integrated circuit is dissipated quickly andcontinuously. In prior art systems employing integrated circuits, thiscooling has been effected by permitting the free flow of air through thesystem or by using blowers to actually force the circulation of airthrough the system. Since one of the main advantages of integratedcircuits is their small size, adding a blower to the system isundesirable in view of the relatively large amount of space required. Ifa blower is not used, the integrated circuits may have to be dispersedto some extent to permit heat dissipation to the atmosphere, thusincreasing system size and again defeating one of the basic reasons forusing integrated circuits.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a connectorassembly for connecting an integrated circuit member to a terminalboard, the connector assembly having a metal heat sink member as anintegral part thereof. The heat sink member has a flat upper portion incontact with the integrated circuit member, a pair of side portionsdiverging therefrom and extending around the connector assembly, and apair of end portions positioned in intimate contact with the terminalboard. The heat sink member thus absorbs heat from the integratedcircuit member and dissipates the heat both to the atmosphere and to theterminal board. The heat sink member of the present invention permitsmounting the integrated circuits closer together and eliminates the needfor circulating a large volume of air past the mounted integratedcircuits.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is an exploded view, inperspective, showing a connector assembly and heat sink member accordingto the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view in vertical section taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1,showing the heat sink member in an operative position with respect tothe connector assembly and an associated integrated circuit member;

FIGURE 3 is a view in vertical section taken along line 33 of FIGURE 2,portions thereof being broken away;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the connector assembly shown in FIGURE1, on a slightly reduced scale; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the terminal board shown inFIGURE 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings,wherein like numerals are used throughout the several views to indicatelike elements of the invention, there is disclosed a metal terminalboard 10, also called a mother board or chassis. Terminal board 10 isprovided with a plurality of passages 11 forming a first row 12, and alike plurality of passages 13 forming a second row 14. In thisparticular embodiment, each of the rows 12 and 14 has seven passages.Rows 12 and 14 are parallel and spaced apart a predetermined distance.Formed centrally between the rows 12 and 14 is a single mounting opening15. Also formed between rows 12 and 14 in terminal board 10 are a pairof indexing openings 16 and 17.

A connector assembly 20 is provided for connecting an integrated circuitmember 21 to terminal board 10. Connector assembly 20 includes aconnector body member 22 having a lower body portion 22a and an upperbody portion 22b. Lower body portion 22a and upper body portion 22b arejoined together generally along a plane designated by the numeral 23.The mating surfaces of portions 22a and 2211 are provided with a pair ofslots 24 and indexing tabs 25, each of the indexing tabs 25 extendinginto a corresponding slot 24 to position lower body portion 22a withrespect to upper body portion 22b.

The upper surface of upper body portion 22b is provided with a hexagonalslot 26 into which a hexagonal upper head 27 of a hollow rivet 28 isinserted. Hollow rivet 28 has interior threads and a flanged lower head28a. A suitable cavity is provided in the bottom Surface of lower bodyportion 22a to accommodate flanged head 28a. When rivet 28 is placed inposition and flanged head 28a is expanded as shown, body portions 22aand 22b are securely drawn together.

Body member 22 is provided with two rows 30 and 31 of vertical openingsthat extend therethrough from the top surface to the bottom surfacethereof. The openings within body member 22 are configured as shown inFIG. 3 to accommodate a plurality of wire wrap pins 32 each having aspring clip end portion 32a positioned within body member 22. A singlewire wrap pin 32 -is inserted in each opening in each of the rows 30 and31 so that two spaced, parallel rows 33- and 34 of wire wrap pins areprovided extending from the bottom surface of body member 22 in the samepattern as passages 11 and 13 in terminal board 10.

Both portions 22a and 22b of connector assembly 20 are molded from aplastic material such as a phenolic material or from diallyl phthalate.Before the two body portions 22a and 22b are assembled together, thewire wrap pins 32 are inserted in their corresponding openings in lowerbody portion 22a, and then upper body portion 22b is placed over them.The two body portions are then locked together by means of rivet 28 aspreviously described.

The bottom surface of body member 22 is also provided with a pair ofindexing tabs 35 and 36 that fit into the indexing openings 16 and 17 inboard 10. Indexing openings 16 and 17 closely correspond in size to tabs35 and 36 so that connector assembly 20' assumes a correct position onboard 10, with the two rows of wire wrap pins 33 and 34 extendingthrough corresponding passages 11 or 13 in rows 12 and 14. Where theboard is constructed from metal, each pin is provided with a plasticsleeve 37 that is positioned between the pin and the walls of thepassage 11 or 13 through which it extends. Each pin 32 is thus insulatedfrom terminal board 10.

To securely attach connector assembly to board 10, a threaded screw 38is inserted upwardly through opening 15 in board 10 for engagement withthe interio threads of rivet 28, as best shown in FIG. 2.

Attached to the top surface of body member 22 is an integrated circuitmember 21 having two spaced, parallel rows 40 and 41 of connector pins.The integrated circuit itself is not shown since it is normally pottedwithin a suitable block f0 non-conductive material from which extend thetwo rows 40 and 41 of connector pins. In this case, the two rows 40 and41 of connector pins extend downwardly into the two corresponding rowsand 31 of openings in body member 22. The connector pins extenddownwardly through the openings into engagement with spring clips 32a toprovide an electrical connection between the integrated circuit and thewire wrap pins 32. As best shown in FIG. 2, each of the connector pinsin rows 40 and 41 has a relatively wide upper portion extending fromblock 21 that narrows down to a smaller portion that engages thecorresponding spring clip 32a. The wider upper portion of each of theconnector pins in rows 40 and 41 thus engages the correspondingly shapedperiphery of the corresponding opening in rows 30 and 31 to limit thedownward movement of integrated circuit member 21 and leaving it spaceda predetermined distance from the upper surface of body member 22 asshown in FIG. 2.

Formed in the surface of body member 22 between rows 30 and 31 is acontinuous open channel 43. Channel 43 is formed in the top surface ofbody member 22, in the two end surfaces thereof and extends into thebottom surface a predetermined distance from each end surface to form apair of channel portions 43a and 43b terminating in a pair of channelends adjacent tabs and 36. The surface of continuous channel 43 is thusrecessed with respect to the upper surface, the two end surfaces and thebottom surface of body member 22. The upper surface of channel 43 isdivided into three sections, a horizontal center section 44 and two moredeeply recessed horizontal end sections 45 and 46.

Mounted in channel 43 is a metal heat sink member 50 having a flat upperportion 51, a pair of side portions 52 and 53 diverging therefrom andterminating in a pair of end portions 54 and 55. When mounted in channel43, the flat upper portion 51 of heat sink member 50 extends above theupper surface of body member 22 and engages the bottom surface ofintegrated circuit member 21. Side portions 52 and 53 extend around theopposite end surfaces of body member 22 within channel 43 and the endportions 54 and 55 extend into channel portions 43a and 43b between bodymember 22 and terminal board 10.

With the entire unit assembled as shown in FIG. 2, the flat upperportion 51 of heat sink member 50 lies in a generallyhorizontal planeand end portions" 54 and 55 also lie in a horizontal plane parallelthereto. Each of the side portions 52 and 53 comprises an upper verticalleg portion 52a, 53a, a middle horizontal leg portion 52b, 53b, and alower vertical leg portions 52c, 530. The lower vertical leg portions52c and 530 lie within the confines of channel 43 formed in the oppositeend surfaces of body member 22. The middle horizontal leg portions 52band 53b lie against the upwardly facing surfaces of end sections 45 and46 of channel 43. The two upper vertical leg portions 52a and 53a extendupwardly therefrom to hold flat upper portion 51 above the surface ofbody member 22 against integrated circuit member 21.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the minimum depth of channel portions 43a and43b in the bottom surface of body member 22 is less than the thicknessof end portions 54 and 55 of heat sink member 50. Thus, when screw 38 isthreaded into rivet 28 and tightened, body member 22 is forceddownwardly against end portions 54 and 55 to lock them between the bodymember and the board. Also, the depth of each of the channel portions43a and 43b gradually increase in a direction from the adjoining endsurface toward the channel end. The maximum depth of each channelportion 43a and 43b thus occurs at the channel end. There are tworeasons for this feature. First, when heat sink member 50 is insertedover body member 22, end portions 54 and 55 can be over-bended into thedeeper channel portions. Since the metal has a tendency to spring backto some degree after bending it into the desired shape, it can beoverbended so that it will return to the desired configuration in whichend portons 54 and 55 lie at right angles to lower vertical leg portions520 and 530. The second reason for this feature is that when body member22 is tightened down against terminal board 10, the greatest pressureagainst end portions 54 and 55 will occur just at the points where theyenter beneath the bottom surface of body member 22. As shown on thedrawings, the entire under surface of end portions 54 and 55 should liedirectly in contact with terminal board 10 to insure greatest heattransfer.

Since the depth of channel portions 43a and 43b is less than thethickness of end portions 54 and 55, heat sink member 50 can be tightlylocked between body member 22 and terminal board 10 by simply tighteningscrew 38 into hollow rivet 28. To further prevent any relative motionbetween heat sink member 50 and body member 22, the lower vertical legportions 520 and 530 tightly engage the opposite end surfaces of channel43, and the middle leg portions 52b and 53b tightly engage surfaces 45and 46. These features of the heat sink member 50 and the channel 43also act to prevent movement of heat sink member 50 within the channelprior to the time the body member is secured to the board 10. In effect,heat sink member 50 is rigidly secured to body member 22 within channel43 prior to the time that they are secured to terminal board 10. Theattachment of body member 22 to board 10 acts to further lock heat sinkmember 50 within channel 43.

Since the flat upper portion 51 of heat sink member 50 lies in directcontact with the integrated circuit member 21, it absorbs much of theheat generated by the integrated circuit during its operation. Heat sinkmember 50 carries the heat downwardly toward terminal board 10. Some ofthe heat carried by heat sink member 50 is dissipated to the atmospherebut a major portion of the heat is carried to the terminal board 10 andis absorbed by the terminal board because of the intimate contactbetween end portions 54 and 55, and terminal board 10. Therefore, thepresent invention provides a new and unique apparatus for use inconjunction with a connector assembly to carry away and dissipate theheat being generated by an integrated circuit.

What is claimed is:

1. Integrated circuit mounting apparatus, comprising:

(a) a metal terminal board having a plurality of passages formedtherethrough in a predetermined pattern;

(b) an integrated circuit member having a like plurality of connectorpins extending therefrom in said predetermined pattern;

() a connector assembly for connecting said integrated circuit member tosaid terminal board including:

(l) a connector body member, having top and bottom surfaces and oppositeend surfaces, constructed from an insulating material and having a likeplurality of openings formed between said top and bottom surfaces insaid predetermined pattern; and

(2) a wire wrap pin mounted in each of said openings and extending fromsaid bottom surface, said wire wrap pins each having a spring clip endportion positioned within said body member;

(d) means for securely attaching said connector assembly to saidterminal board with said wire wrap pins extending through said passages,said integrated circuit member being mounted on said top surface withsaid connector pins extending into said openings for engagement withsaid corresponding spring clip end portions; and

(e) a metal heat sink member having a flat upper portion and a pair ofside portions diverging therefrom and terminating in a pair of endportions, said fiat upper portion being positioned between saidintegrated circuit member and said connector body member in surfacecontact with said integrated circuit member, said side portionsextending around said opposite end surfaces of said body member, andsaid end portions being positioned against said metal terminal boardwhereby said heat sink member absorbs heat from said integrated circuitmember and transfers said heat to the atmosphere and to said metalterminal board.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said connector pins and wire wrappins are located in a pair of spaced rows, wherein said connector bodymember has a channel formed between said rows, wherein said heat sinkmember is mounted in said channel, and wherein said end portions arecurved inwardly and locked between said connector body member and saidmetal terminal board.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said openings in said body memberlie in a pair of spaced rows, said rows extending between said oppositeend surfaces, wherein a continuous channel is formed in said top surfaceand in said end surfaces between said rows, said continuous channel alsohaving channel portions extending into said bottom surface apredetermined distance from each end surface and terminating in a pairof channel ends, and wherein said heat sink member is mounted in saidchannel with said upper portion protruding above said top surface ofsaid connector body member for contact with minal board, said endportions will be locked between them.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the minimum depth of said channelportions in said bottom surface is less than the thickness of said endportions of said heat sink member, and wherein the depth of each of saidchannel portions gradually increases in a direction from said adjoiningend surfarce toward said other end surface, to a maximum depth at saidchannel ends, so that said heat sink member end portions can beover-bended during installation thereof.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said fiat upper portion and saidpair of end portions of said heat sink member lie in generally parallel,horizontal planes, and wherein each of said side portions comprise anupper vertical leg portion, a lower vertical leg portion, and a middlehorizontal leg portion, said middle leg portions tightly engaging thetop surface of-said body member within said channel, and said heat sinkmember end portions tightly engaging said bottom surface of said bodymember within said channel portions to rigidly secure said heat sinkmember to said body member.

7. In an assembly for connecting an integrated circuit member to aterminal board having a plurality of passages formed therethrough in apredetermined pattern, said assembly including a connector body memberhaving pins extending from a bottom surface thereof and means forsecuring said body member to said board with said pins extending throughsaid passages, said body member further having receptacle means in a topsurface thereof for engaging the connector pins of an integrated circuitmember to provide electrical contact with said pins in said body member,the improvement comprising a heat sink member having an upper portionmounted for contact with said integrated circuit member, side portionsextending around said body member towards said terminal board, and endportions positioned for contact with said terminal board.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said heat sink member is a metalmember having a flat upper portion, a pair of side portions divergingtherefrom and 21 pair of end portions, said flat upper portion beingmounted above the surface of said body member for contact with saidintegrated circuit member, said side portions extending around said bodymember towards said terminal board, and said end portions beingpositioned for locking between a terminal board and said bottom surfaceof said body member, said heat sink member thereby acting to dissipateheat from said integrated circuit member to the atmosphere and to theterminal board.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said improvement further comprises achannel formed in said top surface and a pair of opposite end surfacesof said body member, said channel also having channel portions extendinginto said bottom surface a predetermined distance from each end surfaceand terminating in a pair of channel ends, and wherein said heat sinkmember is mounted in said channel with said upper portion protrudingabove said top surface of said connector body member for contact withsaid integrated circuit member, said side portions lying within theconfines of said channel formed in said top and end surfaces, and saidend portions extending 7 8 into said corresponding channel portions insaid bottom References Cited surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the depth of said UNITED STATESPATENTS channel portions in said bottom surface is less than the3,261,904 7/1966 Wulc 174-45 thiicitnelsls1 of said end potiolns of igidllrleat sinkhmilmbilr. f 5 IS H M S Primary E i e apparatus 0 c aim Werein t e ept o each of said channel portions gradually increases to aGERALD TOLIN Asslstant Exammer maximum depth at said channel ends, sothat said heat US Cl XR sink member end portions can be Over-bendedduring installation thereof. 10

